The first 70-odd km from Pune are pretty straightforward. You take the Satara highway (NH48) past Katraj, through the tunnel, and onto the four-lane road that runs towards Satara. The tarmac here is good and it moves fast on weekday mornings, so you can cover it in about an hour. There's a toll plaza near Khed-Shivapur (around ₹80 for a sedan), and after that the highway stays smooth all the way to the Wai turnoff. If you want to work out the cost yourself, our per-km cab rates page lists what each vehicle type charges.
The interesting part of the drive begins after you leave the highway and take the turn towards Wai. From here the road starts climbing. You'll pass through Wai town, an old place on the Krishna river with some lovely ancient temples. If you've got time, the Menavali ghat steps at Wai are worth a quick stop, especially in the early morning light. Five km past Wai, you'll see Mapro Garden on your left, and most people stop here either on the way up or the way down. Fresh strawberry cream, chocolate fudge, and a food court that's decent for a pit stop.
Then comes the ghat section, the last 15-17 km to Panchgani. This is the best part of the drive. The road winds up through hairpin bends with the Krishna valley spreading out below you. On clear days you can see for miles. During monsoon the hills turn green and you'll drive through patches of cloud. Our drivers know these curves well, and some of them have done this road hundreds of times. The temperature drops noticeably as you climb, and by the time you reach Panchgani town you'll feel the difference from Pune's heat. The whole drive takes about 2.5 to 3 hours depending on Pune city traffic when you start.
